The single mother of two girls, Sam, _, and Lola, 5, says that keeping a routine helps her stay connected to them. "We have dinner every night at the same time — a homemade meal — and we just talk." She gushes about the cute things her kids say: "My girls are always saying funny things; they pick up a lot when I think they aren’t listening. The other day Lola said I looked ‘spectacular,’ which I thought was funny for a [5]-year-old.” They also tend to speak their minds, as kids often do: "While at a red-carpet event, my daughter she told me — quite loudly — that she’d passed gas." You’ve got to love their honesty.

Denise’s proudest mommy moment? "when they are nice to each other and can share and say sorry without me asking them to!"

Ann Monroe (aka Maureen Smith) is a Santa Monica based writer and editor who drives her friends and family crazy with her non-stop love for wordsmithing & humor. Her relentless passion for writing, design, research and travel has steered her into many life adventures ranging from writing to winemaking to real estate project development.